The average salary for a private detective in Washington is around $64,700 per year.
Avg Salary
Private detectives earn an average yearly salary of $64,700.
Wages typically start from $36,900 and go up to $106,310.
7% below national average Updated in 2021
Private detective earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level private detective earnings begin at:
$51.11 per hour
$106,310 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$47.35 per hour
$98,490 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level private detective earnings begin at:
$31.11 per hour
$64,700 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level private detective earnings begin at:
$20.36 per hour
$42,350 per year
10th percentile
Starting level private detective earnings begin at:
$17.74 per hour
$36,900 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Private detective salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Arkansas | $80,880 |
| Nevada | $78,480 |
| Colorado | $78,420 |
| Missouri | $77,030 |
| Oregon | $76,920 |
| Nebraska | $76,610 |
| Illinois | $72,840 |
| North Carolina | $69,520 |
| Virginia | $66,200 |
| Minnesota | $65,870 |
| New Hampshire | $64,700 |
| Washington | $64,700 |
| Connecticut | $64,360 |
| Montana | $63,840 |
| Alabama | $63,590 |
| District of Columbia | $63,170 |
| Rhode Island | $63,090 |
| Massachusetts | $63,050 |
| California | $63,010 |
| Alaska | $62,130 |
| New York | $61,590 |
| New Mexico | $61,310 |
| South Dakota | $60,460 |
| Hawaii | $59,610 |
| Florida | $58,200 |
| Maine | $55,670 |
| Iowa | $53,050 |
| Texas | $52,540 |
| Kansas | $52,390 |
| Maryland | $51,060 |
| Arizona | $50,710 |
| Michigan | $50,550 |
| Georgia | $50,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,530 |
| Tennessee | $49,810 |
| Utah | $49,650 |
| Idaho | $49,260 |
| Ohio | $48,770 |
| Louisiana | $48,320 |
| South Carolina | $47,960 |
| West Virginia | $47,960 |
| Wisconsin | $47,600 |
| Indiana | $47,040 |
| Kentucky | $45,330 |
| Delaware | $44,550 |
| New Jersey | $42,210 |
| Oklahoma | $39,550 |
| Puerto Rico | $33,090 |
| Mississippi | $31,820 |
How do private detective salaries compare to similar careers?
Private detectives earn about the same as related careers in Washington. On average, they make less than judicial law clerks but more than estheticians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Judicial law clerk salary | $73K |
| Forensic science technician salary | $75K |
| Paralegal salary | $64K |
| Clergy member salary | $73K |
| Probation officer salary | $68K |
| Private detective salary | $65K |
| American sign language interpreter salary | $63K |
| Ambulance dispatcher salary | $63K |
| Funeral director salary | $61K |
| Esthetician salary | $62K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)